The Pleasures of Cherry Blossom Viewing c. early 19th century

Curator: This print by Katsushika Hokusai, an ukiyo-e master born in 1760, is titled "The Pleasures of Cherry Blossom Viewing," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? These tipsy travelers seem less about cherry blossoms and more about, well, the pleasures of sake! Curator: Indeed! Observe how Hokusai utilizes line and color to animate the figures. The diagonal thrust of their bodies creates a dynamic tension. Editor: They’re lurching, aren’t they? That precarious angle says it all. The rough textures and muted colors—it feels like a memory, hazy and warm. Like the end of a very good picnic. Curator: Note the bai-ōban dimensions, revealing the deliberate scale. The composition leads our eye from the inebriated figures up to the symbolic cherry tree. Editor: It's a reminder that even fleeting moments of joy are worth celebrating, or at least, worth a good woodblock print! This piece is just… joyful, even in its slight chaos.